Use of an Alternating Gradient Cloud Chamber to Measure the Performance of a Condensation Nucleus Counter

Abstract

An aerosol sampling project for the Air Force (Whitefield et al 1993), generated the need to make particle concentration measurements in the size range ≤10 nm, and a Met One CNC (Model 1100-5) was used for these measurements. The Met One small size performance and efficiency vs. particle concentration were calibrated against an ALGR/OPC facility (ALternating GRadient continuous flow thermal diffusion cloud chamber (CFD) and Optical Particle Counter), using a laboratory generated NaCl aerosol for which the critical supersaturation spectrum is both well known and low. The advantage of the ALGR is that it and the Model 1100-5 can operate under similar aerosol concentration conditions. These studies show that the Met One CNC begins to drop below 100% counting efficiency at aerosol diameters ≤10 nm, and reaches 75% efficiency at 7 nm. Complementary electrometer measurements were made for comparison.

Meeting Name

39th Annual Technical Meeting of Institute of Environmental Sciences (1993: May 2-7, Las Vegas, NV)

Department(s)

Physics

Second Department

Chemistry

Third Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Aerosols; Calibration; Cloud chambers; Condensation; Detectors; Particle size analysis; Particles (particulate matter); Performance; Sampling; Thermal diffusion; Alternating gradient continuous flow thermal diffusion cloud chamber; Condensation nuclei counter; Optical particle counters; Optical instruments

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

1877862193

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0073-9227

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1993 Institute of Environmental Sciences, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 1993

This document is currently not available here.

Share

 
COinS